Vegetable Soup
by Keegan Elizabeth
Summary: Tiny spoiler for the episode Swing, which one can probably guess by the title of this story. Just some early Halloween romantic fluff between Elliot and Olivia.


A/N: A special thanks to **NettieC** for looking over this story for me. For timeline: I see this happening a couple of years later (after Swing). There's also a bit of a Grey's Anatomy reference…

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Law & Order: SVU and it's characters.

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"Hey, handsome. What do you think?" she called out.

Hearing her voice, he turned and found her leaning provocatively against their bathroom door. A few moments came and passed, and he still couldn't find his voice.

She laughed, walking toward him. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked cheekily

"Me-eow."

She was dressed in a fitted, black shirt made of some kind of stretchy fabric that hugged her curves in all the right ways, paired with a black leather mini and black fishnet stockings. The shoes were high with a thin, spiked heel –and he wondered briefly how the hell women walked in them, much less _willingly_ put them on their feet to walk in them– and also very, very sexy.

A pair of black cat ears sat on her head. She came closer, revealing a carefully drawn, black triangular nose and whiskers. Her eyes were a smoky green to match the aforementioned sexy-as-hell shoes. The entire package she presented was most definitely capable of rendering the entire male population speechless.

"You look amazing," he finally said.

"Thank you." She was extremely pleased that she had managed to fit into the costume and, most importantly, looked good fitting into it. She'd been working hard the past couple of months and it was nice to know that her discipline had paid off.

"Tell me again why we're going to this Halloween party, especially when we could be staying home and enjoying some festivities of our own?" he questioned, reaching for her.

She stepped into his embrace, his hands coming to rest on her backside, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Because John and Casey invited us and it would be rude not to go."

He pressed her closer to him. "I don't mind being rude," he said, leaning down to nuzzle her neck.

"Uh-huh. I know you don't… and quit trying to tempt me," she playfully warned, even as she lifted her lips to his.

"Come on, think about it," he softly cajoled. "You and me, a bottle of wine, some romantic music, some candles… now, doesn't that sound like a perfect night off?"

"Mmm," she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and picturing it. "It does," she agreed, "but you're forgetting one thing."

He was confused. "What?"

"The fact that tonight's Halloween and our doorbell will be ringing all night long with trick-or-treaters demanding that they want candy and lots of it."

"I can disconnect the doorbell," he said helpfully.

She laughed, stepping out of his embrace. "Why is it when I want you to be Mr. Handyman you don't want to?" she mused aloud before continuing, "Just think about the entertainment of seeing Cragen dressed up in a male cheerleading costume, his punishment for losing that bet to Munch last week."

"Good point, which reminds me I need to make sure the batteries for the digital camera are charged. I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to acquire some really great blackmail pictures."

She grabbed his tie, stopping him before he could leave their bedroom. "Uh-uh. Hold up, you're not dressed yet."

"I am dressed." He looked down pointedly, deliberately being obtuse.

"Yes, I can see that… more the pity but whatever. Still, what I meant was that you're not dressed in the costume I bought for you."

"Liv, do I really have to wear it?" His voice had taken on a whiny quality. "Can't what I have on count as one?"

"It's what you wore to work today, Elliot."

"Yeah, so? I'll say I'm dressed as a NYPD detective. There's a lot of people out there who pay money to buy phony cop uniforms whereas I already have one, complete with a shiny shield and real gun."

"You're such a smart-ass. You know that, right?"

"Yeah but you still love me." He grinned at her.

"At the moment, there's an internal debate going on about that one."

"Uh-huh," he said, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Okay, fine… I love you!" She laughed. "That still doesn't change the fact that dressing up is mandatory. What you have on is not going to cut it. I bet Casey wouldn't even let you through the door if you're not appropriately dressed," she told him.

He remained silent.

"Please, for me?" she asked winningly. "I think you'll like it. It's in the white garment bag, hanging in the closet."

He had no idea what she purchased for him because he had refused to look when she brought it home last week from her shopping trip. He'd been hoping, against odds apparently, that he could talk his way out of attending the party.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, "but it better not be embarrassing… or you're going to pay."

She smiled, knowing his threat was without any heat. "Sure, honey. Whatever you say."

Emerging from their walk-in closet a few seconds later, he came out, holding the costume in one hand and looking as if he was trying to decide if he approved of her choice. "A doctor, huh?"

She crossed over to the nightstand, looked through the drawer until she found what she wanted, and made her way to him. "Not just any doctor. You're Dr. McSteamy," she explained, showing him the nametag she had made for him.

"McSteamy?" he asked incredulous. "Hey, is that the name you were moaning in your sleep the other night… because if so—"

She cut him off quickly, with a kiss. "No. No, of course not. Wouldn't dream of it," she said, grinning at him. "Why fantasize about him when I have you? Besides, that was probably the dream I was having about you, me, and a Jacuzzi tub…"

"Mmhmm, tell me more. Sounds hot," he quipped, pulling her in for a lingering kiss. He _really_ didn't want to go to the party.

She broke the kiss and danced away. "Okay. I'll tell you."

His face lit up, much like a kid on Christmas morning, then fell a moment later when she added, "After the party."

"No fair."

"All's fair in love and war," she countered.

"We're at war now, are we?" He loved the ease of their conversations, the playful bantering between them.

"We might be if you don't get dressed shortly. Come on, you'll get to be a sexy hot doctor. How bad could that possibly be? Mark –that's Dr. McSteamy to you– is good looking, self-assured, and cocky."

"You think I'm cocky?" He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Only in the best sense of the word." She grinned at him, allowing him to pull her in for yet another mind-blowing kiss. She was seriously considering just saying the hell with the party when a loud cry interrupted them.

In the same moment, they both released each other and walked toward the crib that stood a few feet from their bed.

"Hey, you're awake now. Shhh, don't cry," she spoke soothingly, lifting her son into her arms. "It's all right. Shhh, mommy and daddy are right here," she continued, gently rocking him in her arms. She kissed his chubby cheeks and began making silly faces, quickly turning his cries into giggles.

"All he wanted was some attention from a pretty girl," he said, staring at his wife holding their six-months-old son and thinking he was so incredibly lucky. "Not that I can blame him."

Her eyes shifted from the baby's face to Elliot's. "I think he also wants to go to the party, and we're running behind already. Why don't you go change in the bathroom while I change Bryan into his outfit?"

"Okay, fine. I still don't see why you won't tell me what outfit you picked out for our son though," he complained, picking up the pieces to his costume.

"Because it's a surprise," she said. After he shut the bathroom door, she raised her voice and added, "Let me know before you're coming out, please."

After she heard his acquiescence, she quickly went to work, changing Bryan into his Halloween outfit she'd purchased for him.

She was cooing and making faces at her son, when she heard Elliot's voice calling her name.

He opened the bathroom door slightly and asked, "Is it safe to come out now?"

"Yeah, just give me five more seconds," she replied, her back to him.

A minute later, he walked out of the bathroom and she turned around.

"Well, hello there, Dr. McSteamy. You're looking especially hot tonight." She grinned, crossing to him and kissing him fully.

"Thanks." He moved closer to their bed, seeing his son in his costume for the first time. "Is he wearing what I think he's wearing?"

"Yes! Isn't he adorable?" She picked up Bryan, placing him on her hip.

"Babe," he said with a slight frown. "What about the little football bunting uniform I suggested?"

"Babe," she repeated dramatically. "This is cuter," she said firmly, "Besides, in a few more years, I'm sure you'll get your wish and he'll want to dress up as a football player."

"Uh-huh." He crossed his arms, inspecting the outfit. He was convinced that his son would have looked just as adorable as a football player, but he had to admit –at least to himself– Bryan did look pretty damn cute in his little pea in a pod bunting costume Olivia had picked out. Still, he would _never_ admit that to his wife's face, so he said, "I would have been happier at this point with that silly monkey costume that you were so bananas about…"

"Haha, very funny, El." She thought for a moment, smiling a bit wickedly as she added, "Just be happy that I didn't decide to rent you a carrot costume."

He groaned. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

"Nope. However, I also promise that I'll never tell anyone. Scout's honor," she told him. Holding up her free hand, she gave him a mock salute then leaned forward to give him a kiss.

He was satisfied for all of two seconds. "Wait. You never were a girl scout."

She grinned at him, their son in her arms, and said, "Oops."

FIN

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A/N2: I _truly_ enjoyed writing this particular story, so I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Reviews are both welcomed and adored.


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